Barry the Chopper’s Relationship with Dante

Barry served as Dante’s loyal enforcer, carrying out her schemes to destabilize Amestris while hiding his true nature. His ability to mimic human behavior made him the perfect infiltrator, tasked with eliminating threats to Dante’s homunculus experiments. Though he appeared ruthless, Barry’s obedience stemmed from his core programming as a homunculus—lacking free will, he was bound to serve whoever wielded the Philosopher’s Stone that sustained him.

His Dynamic with the Other Homunculi

Among his kin, Barry maintained a calculating distance. While he worked alongside Lust, Greed, and Gluttony, he viewed them as obstacles to his missions rather than allies. His betrayal of Greed—siding with Dante to strip him of his humanity—revealed his opportunistic nature. Yet even this loyalty had limits; when Barry’s usefulness expired, the homunculi turned on him without hesitation, underscoring the fragility of their alliances.

Manipulation of Major Alex Armstrong

Barry’s impersonation of Alex Louis Armstrong allowed him to access military intelligence and sow distrust within the State Alchemist ranks. By adopting Armstrong’s mannerisms and strength, he exploited the major’s reputation for honor to gain the Elric brothers’ temporary trust. However, his ruse unraveled when Armstrong himself reappeared, exposing Barry’s sadistic joy in chaos. This relationship highlights how Barry weaponized familiarity to destabilize his enemies.

Exploiting Scar’s Vengeance

Barry manipulated Scar’s hatred for the military to provoke violence against Central City, framing state alchemists for mass casualties. He baited Scar into fighting Kimblee, ensuring both would weaken each other while advancing Dante’s goals. Yet Scar’s eventual alliance with the Elrics—a partnership Barry couldn’t foresee—demonstrated his limits as a schemer. His miscalculation here foreshadowed his ultimate defeat.

Tension with Kimblee the Crimson Alchemist

Barry’s alliance with Kimblee was a transactional arrangement. He tricked Kimblee into believing they shared a goal of dismantling the corrupt military, using the alchemist’s nihilistic worldview to their mutual benefit. However, Kimblee’s own amorality made him difficult to control. When their partnership dissolved, their clash wasn’t just physical but ideological—Kimblee sought destruction for its own sake, while Barry’s actions were always driven by his creators’ machinations.

Encounters with the Elric Brothers

Barry’s interactions with Edward and Alphonse Elric were defined by psychological warfare. He preyed on Edward’s insecurities about his height, taunting him relentlessly, while exploiting Alphonse’s naivety to sow doubt. Yet the brothers’ resilience frustrated Barry’s plans, particularly when Alphonse’s compassion briefly made him question his role. Though short-lived, this moral hesitation hinted at the humanity he couldn’t fully suppress.

Final Thoughts

Barry the Chopper’s relationships reveal a master manipulator whose power relied less on strength than understanding human frailty. His ability to exploit trust, vengeance, and doubt made him a formidable antagonist—but also a tragic figure, trapped by his own design. To explore the depths of his cunning and contradictions, try chatting with Barry on HoloDream.